Monday, March 21, 2011

2011 Cody Climb 8K

The Inexplicable Return of the Cody Climb 8K
An Eight-Kilometer Road Race With No Amenities
"Because Tallahassee still doesn't have any other 8K road race"

Sunday, 27 March 2011 @ 9:00am ET
Southwood, Tallahassee, Florida


The Cody Climb is a road race with almost none of the services or features you've come to expect from a road race. The event was first run in 2010. I admit that there is no good reason to do it again, but there was no good reason to do it in the first place. The participants seem to have some affection for the run, though, and who am I to deny them? After all, they do know where I live. The course has not changed from last year:
Start on the Capital Circle Southeast Trail between Merchants Row Boulevard and Shumard Oaks Boulevard. Head south on the trail to Shumard Oaks. Head east on Shumard Oaks (use the bike lane) to 4 Oaks Boulevard. Head north on 4 Oaks Boulevard to Orange Avenue, climbing out of the coastal plain up the Cody Escarpment and into the Red Hills. Head west on Orange Avenue to the Capital Circle Southeast Trail. Head south on the trail to Merchants Row Boulevard, descending the Cody Escarpment to return to the coastal plain. Head east on Merchants Row to the first right, an apparently nameless road. Head south on the nameless road to 4 Oaks Boulevard. Head west on Shumard Oaks to the Capital Circle Southeast Trail. Head north on the trail to return to the starting line.
The entry fee remains any United States Federal Reserve Note. No coins, no checks. In return for this nominal entry fee we will be providing very little. Here is a long list of some of the things you won't find at this race:
  • NO T-SHIRTS
    I mean, you can wear one, but we're not going to give you one.

  • NO AWARDS
    Other than the satisfaction of a race well run.

  • NO REFRESHMENTS
    Bring your own water or sports drink or soda or beer for pre- and post-race hydration. And I know that you'll clean up after yourself, but could you make sure that your friend does, too? (He's kind of a pig.)

  • NO PRE-REGISTRATION
    Show up on race day. Or not.

  • NO ONLINE REGISTRATION
    Although you'd probably figured that out when you saw that there was no pre-registration.

  • NO CHANGE
    Entry fee is any Federal Reserve note, as small a denomination as you care to bring. If you're too lazy to scrounge up a dollar bill then we're too lazy to make change for your twenty (but we will thank you for it).

  • NO COINS
    See above.

  • NO CHECKS
    See above.

  • NO PROCEEDS
    At a dollar a head, we're hoping to cover expenses like course marking and printing, but probably not. At any rate, there shouldn't be enough left over to benefit the National Dandruff Society or the Homeless Lemur Foundation. If there is a net from the race, we promise to spend it unwisely.

  • NO COURSE CERTIFICATION
    We aren't going to the trouble and expense of having the course certified by the USATF. It will be carefully measured. If you want to pay someone to certify the course, I'm willing to bet that he'll discover that it was accurate.

  • NO TRAFFIC CONTROL
    The course was designed to encounter minimum traffic by using bike lanes and paved multi-use trails, but there are intersections and road crossings. Be at least as cautious as you would be on a training run. Don't dash across roads without looking. Don't make the cars angry; they are bigger than you are and will always win. Be especially careful because there is...

  • NO INSURANCE
    So don't be flattened by a truck, bitten by a dog, run yourself into heat exhaustion, or get a really bad blister.
The course will be marked, but it would be a good idea to learn it before the race anyway. There are only eight turns, so it's not hard to follow. Here's a map:


You can also study the course tour that I put together last year.

We'll probably freshen up the kilometer marks that were put down last year. We'll time the race. I'll compile and publish results. Don't expect a crowd. If I see a crowd when I'm driving up to the starting area, I'll probably just keep driving.

The start, by the way, will be on the Capital Circle Southeast Trail just north of Shumard Oak Boulevard; i.e., close enough to the corner of Capital Circle Southeast (US 310) and Shumard Oak Boulevard to spit on it. Registration will be nearby starting an hour or so before the race. There is a lot of parking within sight of the starting line. If you can't find a place to park, I don't want to know you.

If you'd like to volunteer (mark the course, course marshal, finish line specialist, cheerleader) or you just want to know more, contact me at hwills@gmail.com.


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Posted by Herb Wills at 12:34 PM

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